Synthetic marijuana was sold from a Denver convenience market just 1,000 feet from East High School, and police say students and the surrounding neighbors were customers.

After a month-long investigation, the owner and manager of Sun Mart at 2405 E. Colfax Ave. and a clerk were arrested and face felony charges of selling drugs.

The investigation began after police received numerous complaints that students were buying the synthetic marijuana, commonly referred to as “spice,” from the Sun Mart.

Spice is exponentially more potent than smoking a marijuana joint, said Lt. Aaron Sanchez.

In July, it became illegal to sell spice in Colorado. In January, it became illegal to possess the drug as well, Sanchez said.

Asked whether it’s possible the accused employees didn’t know the laws had recently changed, Sanchez said that was no excuse.

“Ignorance is not an affirmative defense,” he said.

The case may be one of the first to be prosecuted under the new law in Denver.

“It’ll be new for our DA’s and the court system as well,” Sanchez said. “We feel like a legal loophole has been closed.”

On Wednesday night, police got a search warrant and found 12 pounds of spice packaged in 1,000 containers that each had a street value of $20. The spice had special names on the containers like “Black Mamba.”

Police also found $36,216.50 in cash they believe was from the sales of the drug.

Sanchez said the officers were surprised to find 100 steroid tablets they initially thought were Ecstasy tablets.

One of the suspects told police the tablets were for “working out,” Sanchez said. Police said they don’t know yet whether the steroids were also being sold from the market.

The owners of Boulder’s Sterling University Peaks apartments, who this summer were cited for illegally subdividing 92 bedrooms in the complex, have reached an agreement to settle the case for $410,000, the city announced Thursday.